LONDON: The drought that has affected farmers throughout most of Queensland is also hurting beekeepers and reducing honey production.
Honey producers rely heavily on rainfall, as it boosts the growth of flowers that bees use to make honey and, secondly, as bees need drinking water.
Knobel Honey owner Jo Knobel, based in Clermont, Central Queensland, said the lack of rain in the past couple of years had hit her bee hives hard.
“Where we’ve got them, we’ve got a dam, but it’s gone dry,” she said.
“So basically, we have to cart water out to our bees for them to drink.”
Ms Knobel said the business had lost three bee hives to the drought — two became weak and were attacked by a stronger hive, while a third was attacked by ants searching for moisture and food.
The remaining 27 hives have become less productive, as the bees struggle to produce honey in the drought.
When there is a lack of rain, not only do trees and plants produce fewer flowers, but the flowers contain less nectar.
As the bees struggle to find enough nectar to bring back to their hives, they produce less honey, which they rely on for food in the colder months.
